Flying-machine.



No. 883,090. PATENTBD MAR. 24, 1908. H. J. CRAGUN.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. e, 1901.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Civili-Haabaa No. 883,090. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908. H. J. CRAGUN.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H.J.GRAGUN.

FLYING MACHINE.

vAPPLICATION FILED HAB. 6`, 1907.

PATENTBD MAR. 24,11908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

@Vi h1 use@ Snowdon UNITED sTTs @PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER J. CRAGUN, OF LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

j spasmi@ of Latter. Patent. "retreated umh 24, 190s.

appimaii naa lm h e, 1907. semi No. aeasio.

ndiana, have invente certain new and use-A ful Improvements inFlying-Machines, of

. which the following isa speclfication.

This invention relates to flying machines and more particularl to thoseof the self sustaining type whici do not employ gas fields, and has forits object to provide a machine of this kind provided with means adaptedfor use at times as a lifting agent and at times as a propelling agent.

Another object 1s to Iprovide a flying ma-` chine including novelfeatures of structure and arrangement of parts tending to produce amachine possessing great strength with a minimum weight.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription and it will be understood that changes in the pacificstructure shown and described ma be made Without departing from thespirit of the invention.

In the'drawin rs forming a portion of this specification anrl in whichlilfe numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views:Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine, Fig. 2 is a topplan, of one of the fan wheels, Fig. 3 is a view similar to.`

Fig. 1 showing the fan wheels tilted into propelling osition, Fig. 4 isa sectional view yof one oi? t 1e fanwheels, Fig. 5 is an end view. Fig.6 is a detail section of the mounting of one of the shafts.4

Referring nowto the drawings, the present invention comprises a frameconsisting of two bottom sido-bars 6 & 7 respectively, which aremutually connected at their ends and which diverge toward their centersas shown. These side-bars 'l are bent downwardly at their centers, asindicated at 8 and extending upwardly from the centersof the side-barsthere are convergent rods 9.

The sido-bars 6 and 7extend longitudinally of the machine, as shown, andthese bars have secured thereto at their ends bearing blocks 10 in whichare j ournaled the end portions of a longitudinally extending shaft 11.These bearing blocks 10 are formed by the lower end portions of a pairof uprights 12 and a lpair of crossed brace rods 13 are secured at theirlower ends to the bearing blocks 10 and at their upper ends to theuprights 12 adjacent to the upper ends thereof;

these brace rods thus extending longitudinally of the machine.

As shown, the convergent rods 9 are secured at their vupper ends to thebrace rods 13 at their crossing point, so that there is formed a strongthough light structure, and carried by the brace rods at their point ofconnection with the rods 9, there is a seat 9. Outward] y extendingvertically spaced braelets 14 are carried by the uprights 12, andjournaled in each pair of these bracl-'ets, there is a vertical shaft15, connected at its lower end with the adjacent end of the power shaft11 by means of bevel gears 16.

at its lower portion a horizontally extending 1:,

bevel gear 23,'which meshes with the upper portion of a bevel gear 19,mounted upon onel of the trunnions 18 outwardly vof the yoke and meshingat its lower portion with asimilarhori# zont'al gear 20 carried by theup er end of the l adjacent shaft 15for rotation t ieroby. The two endsof the machine are thus constructed in the same manner, and upon theupper endy 0f eachwheel shaft 22, there is mounted a of a hub 25 `andradial blades 26 which are transversely curved, and which overlap eachother circumferentiallyof the wheel, while propeller 24, ofthe fan wheeltype, consisting A yoke 17 is carried by the upper end of being inmutual spaced relation, and these blades slant downwardl. toward theirouter ends, so that the whees are given an umbrella shape. The bladesare supported by ribs 27, secured thereto and to the wheel shafts 22,and from the just described mechanism, it will be seen that the fanwheels will be revolved with the shaft 11.

By reason of the fact that the members 21 are shiftable ivotally uponthe pivot pins 18, the fan wiieels 24 may be slnfted from the horizontaltoward the vertical. To accomplish this movement, angle levers 29 arepivoted to the yokes 17 at the inner portions thereof, and are connectedat the ends of their upwardly extending arms 30 with the members 21,above the pivot oints of the latter, by means of links30.

neet the horizontal arms 32 of the angle tods 31 coni 33 and with a handlever reach of the seat 9',

levers with-.similar levers 33 lower portions of the uprights, andhorizontal rods 34 are' connected to these levers 35, located within andpivoted to a portion of the frame, this hand lever being provide withstop mechanism to hld it at different points of its movement. It willthus be understood that the two fan wheels may be shifted simultaneouslyfrom the horizontal to a diagonal position, and vice versa.

A motor 36 is mounted upon the side-bars 6 and 7, and between the rods9, and is connected with the shaft 11 for rotation thereof, as shown at37. A steering vane 38 is mounted at the rearward end of the machine andis operatively connected with a steering post 39.

In operation, when it is desired to'ascend into the air, the motor isstarted, and the fan wheels having been brought to horizontal position,their action will cause the machine to rise, when, if it be desired tomove horizontally," the wheels are shifted into a diagonal positionwhich will give the machine an upward and diagonal motion.

It will be obvious that I may employ with the lifting and propellingmechanism just described, any of the usual aeroplane structures ofcommon use if I so desire.

As shown, the shifting mechanism is such that the fan wheels are movedin the same direction when the hand lever is operated.

What is claimed is:

In the flying machine, the combination with a frame consisting of twolongitudinally extending bottom. side bars which are mutually connectedat their ends and which diverge toward their centers, the bottom sidebars being bent downwardly at their centers,

at the center thereof and extending upwardl a palr end o the side bars,crossed brace rods connecting the upriffhts, the lower ends of theuprights having Ibearing blocks, a longitudinally extending drive shaftjournale'd in the bearing blocks, the upper ends of the convergent rodsbeing secured to the crossed brace rods, a motor carried by the `frameand supported upon the side bars, connections between the motor and thedrive shaft, vertical shafts carried by the uprights, and connected withthe drive shaft, yokes carried by the uprights, members pivotallymounted in the yokes, shafts revolubly connected with the members, gearspivotally mounted upon the yokes concentrically with the pivotpoints ofthe members, gears carried by the vertical shaft and by the second namedshafts respectively and meshing with the first named of uprights securedat eachv mounted at the l convergent rods secured to the sidebars andgears, angle levers pivoted to the yoke's, eongent rods and to the rodconnecting the ver-k tical arms of the last named angle levers'andarranged to shift the rod to tilt the members the between the yokes,and a steering apparatus arranged at the rear of the frame.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature witnesses.

in presence of two x HOMER J. CRAGUN Witnesses:

ELIZABETH HOMBURG,

BENJAMIN F. LONG.

